GLOBAL TRADE More than beer and chocolates , the northern Dutch-speaking region of , has a lot to offer South African companies that want to enter the European market.

ince the Middle Ages, Flanders was a textile founders, Prof Mantagu and Dr Jeff Schell, were the first region, making tapestries and clothing. The to develop plants resistant to insects, pests and herbicides textile sector diversified into flooring products by genetically engineering the plants. Many of the corn, from carpets to wooden flooring, technical textiles cotton, yellow maize and soybeans currently available in and artificial grass. Flanders is now expanding in South Africa are GM (genetically modified) crops. Snew areas of expertise such as smart textiles and new Medical biotechnology (red biotech) has developed materials, where for example, microchips are integrated rapidly in Flanders, mostly at the five universities and in the textile fabrics. In the golden Sixties Flanders four academic hospitals for clinical trials. More than 140 was successful in attracting multinational chemical companies have been formed over the years. ___ __ companies to the port of Antwerp. The port is an ideal In the ICT space, Flanders is one of the worldwide pio- Luc Fabry gateway to the international markets and the European neers in nanotechnology (chip technology) thanks to the Trade and Investment hinterland. The different plants are interconnected InterUniversity Micro Electronics Center (IMEC), linked to Commissioner, with pipelines and connected with other ports (such as the oldest university of Europe: KU Leuven. IMEC expand- Flanders Investment Zeebrugge and Amsterdam) making it a very efficient ed its expertise in nanotechnology and chip technology & Trade production location. Sasol of South Africa is present in to application domains such as healthcare, smart cities, Flanders with a distribution facility in Antwerp. mobility and manufacturing, logistics and energy. Another wave of investments in the Sixties came from Flanders is now on the forefront of high-tech research and the automotive sector. Today Volvo (XC40 model) and the digital economy. More than 120 companies have spun Audi (E-Tron model) in the Brussels region have flexible off since IMEC was established in 1986. production plants. Flanders also attracts automotive The food-processing sector is well-established: the suppliers as well as truck and coach/bus manufacturers. beverage sector boasts 224 breweries, 1 000 types Volvo trucks has the largest manufacturing plant in Ghent. of beers and the largest brewing company, ABInbev. New investments also stem from the pharmaceutical Chocolate production is the highest in Europe, but the sector. The pharmaceutical development started in region also excels in the production of frozen vegetables, 1953 with Dr Paul Janssen, who founded Janssen fries and bakery products. Pharmaceuticals in Beerse. His challenge was to merge Flanders is strategically located in pharmacology and chemistry knowledge: 80 medicines the middle of Europe, making it an ideal were discovered in different fields, including Opiod location for a European distribution Center ( – pain medication), Mikonazole (Daktarin (EDC). More than 250 companies (including – antifungal medication) and (Imodium – Nike, Bose, Black & Decker, Volvo, Mazda, diarrhea medication) to name a few. Scania, Ikea, Ingram Micro, Greenspan and Green biotech was introduced to Flanders by the Chiquita) selected Flanders as an EDC. company PGS (Plant Genetic Systems) in 1992. The South African companies should consider Flanders as an R&D location or distribution hub for a variety of sectors. Flanders excels ___ __ in developing the “Triple Helix’’ (company: education: IMEC has 2 clean government). Building your presence in Europe reduces rooms and is at your dependence on the rand, your company becomes the forefront of part of the various ecosystems and you can tap into chip design and the qualified personnel and a broad range of incentives. digital economy www.flandersinvestmentandtrade.com

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